Polymerizable mixed ester of an unsaturated polycarboxylic acid, phthalic acid, and alower aliphatic glycol



, such as ethylene 'acId and the'phthalic acid or anhydride at an Patented June 24, 1947 POLYMERIZABLE MIXED ESTER OF AN UN- SATURATED PHTHALIC ACID, PHATIC GLYCOL Irving E. Muskat, Plainfleld,

POLYCARBOXYLIC A C I D,

D A LOWER ALI- poration of New Jersey No Drawing. Application November Serial N0. 510,664

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a new class of polymerizable mixed esters including new types of unsaturated alkyd resins. It is known that unsaturated dlbasic acids may be reacted with dihydric alcohols to i'orm resinous products which may be further polymerized to a thermosetting state by means of the unsaturated groupsin the composition.

In preparation 01' unsaturated alkyd type resins from a lower aliphatic glycol such as monoethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, isobutylene glycol, or trimethylene glycol, the resulting products often crystallize on standing. This is particularly true of ethylene glycol alkyds, especially when the alkyds are blended with other polymerizable materials such as styrene, vinyl acetate, etc. This crystallization is obiectionable since it prevents formation of an essentially homogeneous polymer upon polymerization.

The problem is even more acute when modified products are produced. For example, when an unsaturated alkyd formed by reaction of ethylene glycol and maleic anhydride is reacted with a monohydric alcohol to reduce the viscosity as described in a copending application of Charles Gould, Serial No. 491,657, filed June 21, 1943, the product crystallizes to a mush on standing for but a few days.

In accordance with have been able to unsaturated mixed the present invention, I produce readily polymeriz'able esters, many 01' which are unsaturated alkyd resins which do not crystallize a minor degree by re-' or which crystallize to but v action of a glycol such as ethylene glycol, 1,2- propylene glycol. 1,3-propylene glycol, LZ-bU-tYL:

ene glycol, isobutylene glycol, etc with an tinor phthalic acid or anhydride based upon :the

moles of dibasic iim'saturatedfacid. Orten anunsaturated ester or as glass-like an objectionable crystallization occurs within month. a

'The esters herein contemplated may be pre pared by reacting a mixtureotthe monoelycol meal. the unsatura d ro rlmic a Periodof one prepared by interaction or these agents or organic solutions 01 such an ester applicattonBe contains 15 percent or more of phthalic anhydride, little if any- N. J., asslgnor to Marco Chemicals, Inc., Sewaren, N. J., a cor- 2 elevated temperature, for example, 150 to 220 C. Acids or anhydrides such as maleic anhydride, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, acetylene dicarboxylic acid, mesaconic acid or citraconic acids may be used as the unsaturated polybasic acid. Similar esters may be prepared by partially reacting the glycol with the unsaturated polybasic acid and reacting the phthalic or anhydride with the reaction product after reaction with the unsaturated acid is partially or wholly complete. Alternatively, other esters may be prepared by reacting a mixture of glycol and phthalic acid or anhydride and thereafter reacting the product with the unsaturated polybasic acid.

The reaction may be conducted simply by heating a mixture of the reactants in a suitable reaction vessel. Where a product or good color is desired, the reaction should be conducted substantially in the absence of air. Carbon dioxide or other inert gas may bubble through the mixture in order to establish an essentially non oxidizing atmosphere over the reaction mixture.

If desired, polymerization inhibitors such as hydroquinone, phenol, cresol, etc.,.may be'added,

prevent polymerizationof the unten it is desired to an to inhibit or saturated groups.

inhibitor which may the product in vacuo at 'I'heproportionsof lycol and dibasic acid all events, sufficient I used to form. a-'compound,"containing' at least saturated dibasic acid and 5 to 35 mole percent ble of polymerizing to heated until the 5o an acid number of 200 or more.

I reflux until a resinous two unsaturated'groups not more than 1.05, 01' diba'sie' acid. a

,The product may bemodifled by introduction 7 of a monohydric alcohol-such as methyl, ethyl, pr w i oprom'l. i obut'yt vl. allyl.

The monohydric alcohol 'may be added at that timein proportion 01' 0.1 to one per mole of glycol.

natlvely, the-alcohol may be added initially.

be tapped oi! by"heating' an elevated temperature. glycol to dibasic acid'may be varied to aconsiderable degree in'accordance 'with the product desired." For example, the: may be reactedTin equimolecular quantities or the glycol-or acidi'm'ay be in exee'ss as desired. At glycol acid should be' perfmolecule and capaathermohardened stage. For most cases'about 0.5 to 1.5 moles, preferably glycol is used mole of for methallyl alcohol inte goes into solution and mole oi monohydric alcohol I and the mixture heated under product is secured. -AIter- In like manner, the alkyd may be modified by incorporation of monobasic acids such as acetic, acrylic, prcpionlc. methacrylic, crotonic. oleic, stearic or-linoleic acids or China-wood oil acids or partial esters such as ethyl acid phthalate, ethyl acid maleate, allyl chloroformate, etc'. These acids or acid esters may be introduced initially or after partial or complete production or the resin. Furthermore, both monobasic acids and monohydric alcohols may be incorporated into the same composition.

I The reaction may be continued until the desired degree of interaction may be secured. For example, flowable liquid polymerizable materials may be prepared having an acid number of 200 or below, for example 100 to 200. These products when polymerized form hard polymers having water resistance somewhat poorer than that of polymers of products 01 lower acid number. Their hardness and water resistance may be improved by copolymerizatio'n with other materials including styrene, vinyl acetate, diallyl maleate,

diallyl fumarate, succinate, etc.

Alternatively, the resin forming reaction may be continued to form resins having acid numbers of m below if desired. The resins thus obtained are liquid to glassy solid resinous products. Thus the products having acid numbers or 150 to 200 are viscous liquids while theproducts of acid number of 100 or below are generally glassy solids or very viscous liquids. They are compatible with up to 30 percent by weight of vinyl acetate or styrene, and up to or 70 percent by weight with esters of phthalic acid such as diallyl phthalate.

These resinous products may be polymerized by heat and/or light in the presence of catalysts such as benzoyl 'peroxid lauroyl peroxide, ethyl peroxycarbonate, etc, Moreover, they may be co-polymerized with a wide variety of other polymerizable compositions such as glycerol phthalateal yd vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, allyl methacrylate, aliyl esters of dibasic acids such as diallyl phthalate, diallyl maleate, diallyl fumarate, diallyl 'succinate, diallyl carbonate, diallyl adipate, diallyl azelate or the corresponding esters of methallyl propargyl or similar unsaturated alcohol.

The following examples are illustrative:

Example 1 409 grams of ethylene glycol, eaa grams of maleic anhydride and 89 grams of phthalicanhydride was placed in a flask and heated under an atmosphere of carbon dioxide at a tempera- 16 hrs at 50 C.

1 hr. at C. 2 hrs. at C. 1 hr. at C.

2 hrs. at C.

1 hr. at C.

1 hr. at C.

05hr. at C.

1 hr. at C.

2-chloroallyl alcohol or to form a hard, brittle casting having a Barcol hardness of about 55.

A mixture of 80 parts by weight of the resin, 20 parts by weight of styrene and 1 part by weight of benzoyl peroxide polymerized on heating according to the above cycle to form an opaque polymer indicating incompatibility.

Upon polymerization of a mixture of 80 parts by weight of the resin, 20 parts by weight of vinyl acetate and 0.5 part by weight of benzoyl peroxide according to the above cycle, a clear hard co-polymer was obtained. When the vinyl acetate is increased to 40 parts by weight, an opaque incompatible co-polymer was obtained,

Diallyl phthalate forms compatible co-polymers with this resin in amounts over 40 percent by weight when polymerized in the presence of 3 percent benzoyl peroxide. Similar products of greater activity may be secured through use of fumaric acid in lieu of maleic anhydride.

- Example 2 viscous liquid which cooled to a glassy solid was obtained. This solid had an acid number of about 30. It was soluble in vinyl acetate, styrene, diallyl,

maleate and diallyl phthalate and such solutions exhibited little tendency to crystallize. The product polymerized in the presence of 3 percent by weight of benzoyl peroxide on heating at 85 C. for two hours. A mixture containing 80 parts by weight of the alkyd, 20 parts by weight of styrene and 2 percent by weight of benzoyl peroxide polymerized on standing. Moreover, the product may be polymerized to form clear copolymers with 20 percent by weight vinyl acetate, diallyl phthalate or diallyl adipate under the conditions set forth in Example 1.

Example 3 1568 grams of maleic anhydride, 592 grams of phthalic anhydride, 1240 grams of ethylene glycol, and 3.4 grams of hydroquinone were placed in a-flask equipped with a stirrer. The mixturewas heated in an oil bath to a temperature gradually rising from to 215 C. over a period-of 3% hours. During heating a' stream of carbon dioxide was bubbled through the reaction mixture and water evolved was vaporized. The product was a clear, sticky mass at room temperature having an acid number ofv about 90. No crystal formation occurred when this resin was allowed to stand for a period of one week. The resin can be polymerized as in Example 1 to form somewhat softer, less water resistant polymers. A similar product is obtained when propylene glycol is used in lieu of ethylene glycol.

Example 4 The process of Example 2 was repeated using 1750 grams of fumaric acid in lieu of the maleic anhydride. A sticky glass-like product containing no crystals and which had an acid number of 20 and which was otherwise similar to that obtained in Example 2 was secured. This product polymerized more readily than the productoi Example 2 and required less peroxide. Itaconic acid may be used inlieu of iumaric acid in this process.

Although the present invention has been described with particular reference-to the details of specific embodiments thereof, it is not intended 7 than three carbon atoms, as

- phthalic acid per that such details shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention except insofar as included lnthe accompanying claims. The term acid in the accompanying claims is intended to include the corresponding anhydride of such acid. The expression a lower aliphatic glycol having the hydroxyl groups connected by a straight, saturated hydrocarbon chain of no more used in one of the claims, is not to be construed as excluding glycols having a branched hydrocarbon chain between the hydroxyl groups such as isobutylene glycol, for example.

I claim:

1. The polymerizable mixed ester of an unsaturated, alpha beta polycarboxylic acid and about 0.05 to 0.35 mole of phthalic acid and about 0.5 to 1.5 moles of ethylene glycol per mole of said unsaturated acid.

2. The polymerizable mixed ester of maleic acid and about 0.05 to 0.35 mole of phthalic acid and about 0.5 to 1.5 moles of ethylene glycol per mole of maleic acid.

3. The polymerizable mixed ester of an unsaturated alpha beta polycarboxylic acid and about 0.05 to 0.35 mole of phthalic acid and about 0.5 to 1.5 moles of a lower aliphatic glycol having the hydroxyl groups connected by a straight, saturated hydrocarbon chain of no more than three carbon atoms per mole of said unsaturated acid.

4. A method which comprises heating the mixture of ethylene glycol, maleic acid and phthaiic acid, in proportions of about 0.5 to 1.5 moles of ethylene glycol and about 0.05 to 0.35 mole of mole of maleic acid, to esterify the same and produce a polymerizable product.

5. A method which comprises heating the mixture of ethylene glycol, an unsaturated alpha beta and about 0.5 to 1.5 moles of ethylene glycol per mole of said'unsaturated acid.

IRVING E. MUSKAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,195,362 Ellis Mhr. 26, 1940 2,255,313 Ellis Sept. 9, 1941 2,319,799 DAlelio May 25,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 540,168 Great Britain Oct. 8, 1941 OTHER REFERENCES Carothers Collected Papers, pub. by Interscience Publishers, N. Y., 1940, pages 23-24. 

